Improvement in knitting-machwes



rsAAc w. LAMB, oF'RocHEs'rER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN KNlTTlNG-MACl-HNES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,369., dated VOctober10, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC W. LAMB, o Rochester, Monroe county, State ofNew York, have invented a .new and useful Improvement inKnitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear,'and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilledin the art to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 is a front lelevation of a knittingmachine made according to myinvention. Fig.

2 is an elevation of a cross-section taken on the line wot' Fig. 1.Fig.3isa plan view of a portion of the sliding carriage andneedle-plates. Fig. 4 is an under-side view of that portion of one sideof the sliding carriage which carries the earns for operating theneedles, the cams be-V ing seen here in the positions they take whendrawn up out of the way of the butts ot' those needles which are in use.Fig. 5 is a view oi'- the same parts as seen in Fig. 4, the cams havingbeen brought down so as to engage the butts of the needles in use. Fig.6 shows a piece of knitted fabric.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts. v

This invent-ion relates more particularly to that class ofknittingmachines represented in theV Letters 'Patent granted to meSeptember 15, 1863, having two` rows of needles, and also to machineshaving straight frames and only one row of needles. Without enumeratinghere all the particular devices embraced therein, .it is sufficient tosay that one part of the invention relates to the construction of thecams for'operating the needles, and to thev man ner oi'operating suchcams. Another part i'rclates to the manner of regulating the length ofthe loops. Another relates to the manner of supporting the slidingcarriage. Another relates to the manner of constructing the jacks.Another relates to the manner ot' driving the sliding carriage. Another,relates to the construction and operation ot' the yarn guide or carrierand to means for driving it. Another relates to a novel construction oflatch-openers. Another relates to means for connecting suitable weightstothe work.

A A are two dat needle'plates, inclined toward each other, as seen inFig. 2, their upper edges being separated far enough to permit theoperation of knitting to take place without obstruction from the plates,and to allow the fabric produced to hang down between them. Theyarehrmly secured to a. snit-able bed, B, or they may form a partL of itby being,r cast therewith in one piece. The bed B in this example asthat it can be attached bef low the needle-platesto the edge ot'atable'. It may be made, however, so as to be supported on suitablestandards.

The needle -grooves a a extend entirely across the plates, and are openabove and below, so that the needles can bereadily withdrawn therefromat pleasure when the retaining-plates U are raised.

The needles here represented are `of the kind known as latch needles,but with slight modifications, which will suggest themselves to personsskilled in the art of making knit tin g-machines, needles with flexiblebeards can be used in connection with my invention. The

lower ends of the needles have `butts d, which reach forth from thegrooves c above the face of the needle-plates, so as to enable theneedles to be operated by the cams thereinafter mentioned. The needlesare retained in their grooves by means of plates U U, one for each ofthe needle-plates A A', the said plates U being dush with theneedle-plates along their lower edges, W, (see Fig. 3,) but being higherthan the faces of said needle-plates along their npperedges,W, becausethe upper parts ot' said needle-plates A A'l are cnt down a distanceequal to the thickness of the retaining-plates U; moreover, the upperparts of the retaining plates U are beveled oil' so as to be brought toa line or thinedge. These plates U serve to holdthe needles in place,and also to close their i latcheswhen they,r are pulled down out ot'the,

path of the operating cams, as hereinaftere'xlained.

GGdesignate two rows ot' bent wires, whose shanks are securedrespectively in plates E E, one of which is fastened beneath eachneedleplate by`-means of screws which pass through slots in said platesE and hold their!V to the.

needle-plates. These slots are elongated'in a direction transverse tothe length of theplates E, so that the latterlcan be adjusted todiifer-I ent heights and the bent wires of one row thus be made ltoapproachY or recede froxnthose of is so niade l lor vanystrai loopspbedrawninto the same,l serving the need mon wayof supporting them byridges be# I -of the loops I that coa-rser .yarn

i', lbecause 'they occupy n are cast.

here shown. of knittingm ing and to wideningw the o ther row.,Thesewires are bent in such l a'nnerv `thattheir-'bent portions risenearly at right apglesto the planes of theneedle-plates respectarely.l eA l l de 'gnate 1.rods, which are fixed in 'horizontal 'positions within`the bent.l partis of the wires, lfor the purpose "of supporting them,the

cnds; otthewires' being clasped' about ther-ods so as do form eyes,through which .the rods pass, as seen in'jthescctional view, Fig. 2, forthe'purposeof sustaining them. The wires and .rods are nou soldered toeachother, uorare the supported vertically by the rods and laterally bythe jacks.v This construction of the jacks enables me to reduce the sizeof the grooves of the needle-platesat 'their upper edges, so

that thehooks lotjthe needlesneed-n'ot be drawn entirely'within 'thegrooves, nor the the said jacks to support the loops at the sides of lesin a manner'jsimilar to the comtween the needlefgrooves during thedrawing and'the loops sim ply bein g' drawn by the needles between thejacks vinstead of bein'gdrawnrnto the needle-grooves and since there ismore room between the jacks than in the.needlegroo.ves;'and since theneedles in being drawnback to cast ot the-loops are drawn .back ot' theupper or innerportion of the jacks before the former loops are cast, ksothat there' l is-nothing vbetween the needles at the point where theloop 1s thrown oil' each, infollows d les at a ygiven is .to be. Thesejacks `ena-` ble either coarse or fine yarn to, be usedequally well inthesame ma large or uneven placesinv yarn to passwithout .'diiculty; andthey are much better than at such plates are elastic, o room where theloops The jacks may he made of metallic nching such plates ont totherenstead of bei-ng made of wire, as Theymay he used in all kinds achineswhere sliding-v needles plates, even though plates by puh quired form, i

are used, whetherfa single 'or double 'row or series ot' needlesre'nsefd,"

number of needles out otoperation for narrow-V bring them back intooperation for chine, the'needle being meanwhile kept in the pass betweenadjacent'- jacks and., above the rods l, so that they are.

may be used withi'the/ne distance apart, and a large numberoti/needlesmay be used lint/he machine, -l and lthe/machinenneell not be anyl.wider than -the nis'ne'd work chine, and also permit, the' making thegiovesia'run entirely across the needle-plates I am' enabled* tothrowany ithout removing them from the masmsen .grooves by the platesl U.;When 4any 'needle is., to beremoved for anypurposeor new needles are tobe put in the machine it is only necessary to loosen' the gibs whichhold the'slid ing `carriage to .thebedli so as to allow'the plates U,onefor both, to be raised alittle distance, so as to permit the latchand' hook of 'the needles to pass'beneath. For'thispnrpose I' fasten theby' means of smooth pins g', fitting intonholes g", made in thebearing-plates lD,'.on which pins the said plates U can b'e moved whenitis'desired to ra The'pins may be made' to project". from-"thedaden-plates, if desired f4 f4 ar e.'standards rising from .either -end"of'the bed ot the machine, supportingg'two guide-rods, f2 f2, and-alsoa screw-threaded rod, 1),'which is .placed midway between'theguide-rods.- The rod b carriesV two nuts, e e', which are free to travelthereon? 'Each yof of its 'length-extending all around it.-

A2 is the yarn-conductor. It is supported upon the guide-rods by meansot' ey'esfff through which'the rods are passed.-

are the arms f aspri yatrig'zfht angles there-with andfrestng uponthebearing-plates U, on which they slide hforijzontally. The frame is`retained inl place by lockiugpieces or gibs D D fone at either 'end ofthe hedlwhich are screwed 'downto their. places, their ends'rserving asguides along which the front sides, t`t, of the frame K is a' sti"`spring-dog, secured' totliefpart D of the framel and extendin glfor'wa'rd yand upward `againstthe back oftlle yarn-guide, which it`'n'uoves to and `fro by means-lot' two shoulders, K( K', one of whichis seen inlu'Fig. 2.' y' lhese 'shoulders are placed behind thefg'uid- Ving-eyes f f, andthe spring-dogbeing forced it follows that when thesliding "carriage is moved toward the lett the dog will pass along theback of the `yarn-guide until it strikes the .shoulder K' on that side,when the vspring-arm plates U to the needle-platesA ise them ott'Y theneedle-plates.

plates U, ittingin holesin the needle or founng made'fast' to the' hackot' the yarnconduetor, -thefsaid .arms eX-v. tending each "way therefromin a ljorizontal'v direction at the level of the nuts ed.' Whenl'inneror front sides, 4t t', extending'downward 1 by 4its own elasticityagainst the yarn-guide,

g will be vdrawnout of engagement with 'the A `iug it to yield amaca nute' and the.yarn-guide will"becarriedup to the nut e, whose ridge g' willengagethe spring-arm on that side and hold the yarnguide stationaryagainst reaction; the dog K meanwhile will be carried over the shoulderand past the nut e, by reason ofthe continued vmovement of the carriage,its elasticityallowsntliciently to ride` over the shoulder whenthe'fyarn-guide is-stopp'ed by the nut. j On the return movement of thecarrge the dog slides over the shoulder it engaged last, whose outerside is inclined so that the dog will not move the yarnfguide, and movesalong until it strikes the face of 4the other shoulder on the right-handside ot' the yarn-guide, when it .carries the latter, along until itreaches the nut c. The yarn-guide is again stopped and held stationary,as before, whilethe dog K is forced4 past. the shoulder, as before. Thenuts e c are tobe placed on the screw-threaded rod in such positions andat s nch distances apart as will enable the yarn- -guide to pass inbo'th directions beyond the outermost of the needles which a're inoperationsay to the distance of half an inch beyoud themzon each side.

The letters z i designate latch-openers consisting of dat plates iixedtothe inclined sides of the frame-carriage C D, their inner ends, j j,heilig bent downward at right angles to the rest of the plates, andcurved as seen in Fig. l, where that one which is fixed to the parte` ofthe-.frame is shown. They are so `located that their greatestconvexities are just in advance of the yarn-guide, whoselowest part, f5,when the machineis in operation, is found between the latch-openers, butat that end which is hinderlnost., The driving-dog K is bolted to theframe uponthe back of that one of the latch-openerswhich is on the sameside ofthe frame, and therefore, sinceat each change ot' direction ofthe motion of the carriage the driving-,dog advances along the backofthe yarngnide until it meets the opposing shoulder, the

latch-openers are carried past the foot f5 of the yarn-guide before thelatter begins its re- .turn movement. The yarnpasses through an eye inthe top f 6of the yarn-guide, and thence through an eye in its foot f5,as seen in Fig. 2. Each side of the sliding frame carries a system ofcams, which will be next described. They are the same for each side ofthe frame, and therefore adescription of those on the side C will answerfor both. Figs. 4 and5 represent one set of these cams in two differentpositions.

They are placed on the under side of the framev below the front side, t,thereof, and are attached to and sustained by a fixed plate, q, which issecured at 1'1 to ribs 2 2,'formed on the under side of the part (J.

'q' q are transverse slots in thel plate q, which receive pins 1" r,extending from a V-shaped ann, r, on the plate q. The pins T2142 alsopass hrough the diagonal slots 112112, made 1n ashd- `ing plate,11,uplac'e`dl beneath the fixed plate q,

lThe sliding plate p as shown in the drawings, but above the plate as itsets in. the machine. The ends-of said sliding platea're conned againstthe plate q in recesses sunk in the" ribs 2 2, in which recesses theyare guided in the reciprocating movements ofthe plate p. -Friction ismade -on one end of the sliding. plate by means of a spring, S, which issecured in place by one ot' the screw-boltsl 1. The pins r2 r2 terminateon t the upper side of the sliding plate (the upper side as that platelies when in the machine) in buttons or heads, (not seen in thedrawings,) which serve to hold the V-shaped cam in place. has notransverse motion, but only a longitudinal movement, which is effectedby means of its lower edge, p', which projects below the fixed plate qand below the part C .of the frame.' The ends of the projection 11 comein contact with the adjustable stops H H, which are so placed on theends of the bed B as to be capable ot' motion about their pivots V,curved slotsl I, formed ou their inner or lower ends, receivingset-screws, (seen in dotted outline i.n Fig.- 2,) by means of which thestops are set either in or out of the path ot' the part 11 ofthe slidingplate. When the stops are turned up in its path the slidingI plate willbe moved to and fro, and it will in turn canse the pins r2 r2 to bemoved either up or dowiin the slots 112.112, and so cause them, andconsequently the V-shaped cam, to be moved transversely up cr down inthe slots q ofthe lixed plate. When this cam is moved upward't willpass-above the but-ts of the needles, and when it'is moved downward itwill bein theline ot'engagementwith them. 1" r' are side cams,adjustably secured to the xed plate q by means ot' pins O 0 projectingfrom the upper ends of the cams through diagonal slots r3 r3 cut in theplate q. Pins 0' U pro- `iecting from the lower ends of said camsv alsoenter the diagonal slots on the lower side of thesliding plate, theobject being to keep the faces of these cams always parallel with theoppositejiices of the cam r: The pins 0 O are far enough apart topermit. the shifter or sliding plate 1) to pass between them.

The slots r may extend from the place of the pin O to that-ot' the pin0', orthey may be interrupted and not continuous where th eyare coveredby the plate 1), providing they extend far enough above and below thesaid plate 1J to allow the pins to move the distancesrequired for theadjustments of the cams. The upperends of the pins O 0f do not passquite through the slots r3, being intel'ided only for guides, but theupper ends ot' t l e. pins O pass through them and are conuec d to linksn n, which extend downward am1 ss the sliding plate or shifter 11, theirlower nds bengvcontrolled by thnmbscrews F F1, whose shanks pass throughlongitndinal's ts i m and are connected lto the links'. The effect ofthiseonstruction is, that when the thumb-screws are moved toward eachothery the cams i" are ,moved upward, and when the thumb-screws. aremoved away from each other, thecams are.

moved downward.,

The illipel'sides of the cani if present asal-ient needles to travel in,so that the saidcam r, on

'striking those buttswhicharc in its path, will first movethe needlesthey belong toupward to thetopof the, passage, and the cam r' will thendraw them-downward. When, the'cam 1' has 4been carried npwardfas seenlin Fig# 4, itis rendered inoperative, and the sliding-` fr 'me moves"over .the needle plates without` producing anj/ movementof the needles,but

f whenit has heen'drawn down, as in Fig. 5, it.

engages the butts of whatever .needlesl are in itsv 'path', andoperates" them as above explained.' I

The slots p2 are sofa-rranged that when the projection p, which mayproperly be called they ',shinften in moving towardthe right strikes thestop H the passage between the cams 1' 1" fwillbe opened-Iby-the'descentof the cam 1'. *Whom on moving toward. the left, the shifterplatesstrike the vstop H'onthat side the said 'passage Willlfgie closed.- Thisoperati on is the samevonei-thei' side of the machine, By this actionupon the cams Lam enabled to knit on the two rows of-needlesinalternation, the stops i H at theend'ot' theb'cd B on eaehside ot the.machine being set so that .the cams II on oppo- -site sides'\\"ill-operate in alternation., l l 'Q designates a wire setter, madewith hooks on its ends to receive the hooked ends ot' a. bent'Wir-e, Q',upon which latter weights are hnngfor distending the fabric andyIclearing the machine of it as' it isprodueed. -The wire setter Qisrdropped down between the latchy*openers'upon the work when it` is setup, and itshooksare' then engaged to the hooks ot' the otherwire," as.seen in Fg.`1, both rows of needles heingoperated together in settingupthe work, ,forming-'la network 'between 'the rows.v4 This machine may beoperated with both rowsbf needles alternately, so as to pro- 'duce'circular knitting; or the knitting may .proceed'on 'one row back landforth, andthen on the opposite row back and forth; 'or it. 'may proceedon only `one row continuously,

The sliding frame is vreciprocated by means ofa crank, C2, Whose shaft Cis placed in -the bed B 'at the right-hand end ofthe machine. Aconnecting-rod, C', pivoted to the left-hand fend of 'thefsliding-frame, is connected to 'the middle' of the crank-arm-in such amanner as that the crank'aim cantnrn iii' the 'eye of the r'od. Otis thehandle `of the crank. Ttiema-v .chine may alsobe fitted to be' operated'by a e treadle 'or' by' power.

' The length of the position of the side cams, r'r'. When they are inltheir highest l'positions tthe workwill be closely knitted ;4 when, theyare in their lowestv loops is determinedby the l V-shaped cams toproduce .the alternation'in the operation' of the. two rows of needles,silbstantially as 4herein described.f 2. The combina-tionof the Shifterspip, har ing projectionsp p', with suitable stops, H, to effect the.movement of the Shifters, as ne in order; to change .the V-'shaped 4castantiallyas lierein set forth.- f;

3. The'adjustable stops B, so secured [as to nllow of their beingplaced. eitherin-position to combine with the projections p. oftheshifters, and, thus change the -V sha'ped cams, or in position to allowihefshifters to pass them without changing. them,

5. Themauner ot' regulating the thumb-screwse subst-antiallyasdescribed.

ing of the s 'it'ters Ibefore they come against the stops IH, asdescribed'. 7.`'T he plateU 'U over the needles, .when 'the same performthe double oice of retainf 'ing'th'e needles in their grooves and alsoform' frame, as ldescribed.

tion or in the plates, so long as'the platesare eheldodown tothneedles[bythesl i iilig`frame, s'o 'as to 'permit the .needles to bereadily re'- `D."' to allow'the 'slidin gfra'ine to -be"1"aifsel',lsnbstatially asherei'n described.

9. Making 'the ifn'er edge ofthe-"platesjfU, which' plates' perform thelfunctions vstatedjili clause seventh of -lthe claim, b eveling or sliarp on the` upper side, "as descrihed',`fo'r the pitrpo'se 'ofvturning over 'the' needledatches Lwhen lthe' needles are drawning'p'osition.l l

havin g-suitable bearings so.l as .to permit of) changes in the machinesimply by the changerv described.;

r r',. whentheys.

1ine of the side of the V-shaped cam, sogthnt elength of the loops'thet;

the loops byineansofthe link.n, slot m, 'and 61' lh e friction fs-prin gs, to-prevent thech an gj' the lower rests: or bearings for thesliding:v 1s. The iii-.innerer.fasteningn 'plates U U" in placexbyineens'of'pinsl g", g'andholes g2 g', v whether the pins are stationaryin the founda4 lmored by 'simply loosingthe bearingsor 'gibs`davverobenamrane G all firmly attached to the plates E, in combinationwith the small rods l, passing through the eyes in the upper portions ofthe jacks, substantially as described.

11. Making the jack-plate E adjustable out and in, so as to have theopening between the two rows of jacks `wide or narrow, as desired.

12. The attachment of the crank c2 by suitable shaft and bearings to thefoundation of the machine by means of a connecting-rod, c', attached atone end to the crank and at the other to the sliding frame,substantially'as described, whether the machine be in all respectssimilar to this'or otherwise,so long as there be a sliding frame movingover two alternatelyoperating rows of needles, vsubstantially as hereindescribed. y

13. A detached yarncarrier having an adjustable movement to conform toany desired width of fabric to be knit, in combination with a slidingirame having a uniform distance cf movement, substantially as described.

14. Operating the yarn guide or carrier by means of the driving-spring Kon the sliding frame working on the inclined surfaces and stops of theyarn-carrier, in combination with the friction -spring g, substantiallyas herein described, for the purpose of taking'hold and letting go otthe yarn-carrier, as described.

15. A knife or sharp edged latch opener or guard that takes the latchesfrom the'top of the hooks of the needles without entering the barbs ofthe needles, whether the edge of such latch-opener is nearly straightand themovementot' the needles opens the latches er whether the needlesare stationary while an inclined knife-edge opens the latches.

16. Thecombination of the two latchopen ers, constructed as shown, withthe yarn-can rier, when the saine are so arranged as to permit theyarn-carrier to pass between the latchopeners, as described.

17. The bent wire Q or its equivalent, to drop down on -the yarn insetting up werk on the machine, so as to permit a weight to be attachedto the same ander the machine by means of the bent wire Q or othersuitable connection, substantially as described.

u ISAAC vW. LAMB.

Witnesses: y y

JOSEPH DEWEY, DANIEL W. BUsH.

